COUNTER BALANCE – Residencies for research and creation

Short Description

Counter Balance is a new residency format for research and creation as part of the first
edition of the Tanztriennale in June 2026 in Hamburg. It is an invitation for tandem
residencies in two areas:

Cross experimentation – Exploring across dance genres, dance cultures and dance styles. Meaning, creating a partnership of exploration between different dance heritages (i.e. Breaking, Butoh, Ballet, Whacking, Kathak, Social Dances, New Circus, forms of Freestyle and Improvisation or the evolution of a contemporary dance language in relation to indigenous dances, to name a few).
Breaking borders – Exploring dance in relation to sectors outside of the dance field.
Meaning, partnering with a practitioner from another sector (i.e. neuroscience, early education, new technologies, urban planning or construction, etc.)
The goal of these residencies is to provide space for experimentation in relation to developing the art form outside of the common dance making bubbles and production pathways. Additionally, they are to provide an opportunity for conventional dance canons to be examined and challenged through collaborative, cross genre and cross cultural inquiry and to trigger exploration in the role dance may play in a larger societal context. The Counter Balance residencies provide two different residency formats for exploration:
Research: 4-week tandem research with the opportunity to present the outcomes of the exploration in a form that feels relevant to the discoveries during the Tanztriennale week from June 14 – 21, 2026.
Short Creation: 6-week residency towards a short creation under 30 minutes. The outcome will be presented at Staatsoper Hamburg – Opera Stabile Studio Stage during the Tanztriennale week from June 14 – 21, 2026.
The residencies will take place between January and June 2026 and may unfold in up to two different locations with selected residency partners throughout Germany and with our partners Kampnagel Internationale Kulturfabrik GmbH, K3 | Tanzplan Hamburg and Hamburg Ballett.

Eligibility

Individuals of all age groups at any stage of their professional career are eligible to apply.
Applicants based in Germany and from abroad are welcome.
Applicants not able to apply: students (with the exception of those pursuing a doctorate).
Only two individuals can form a tandem; applications from collectives and bigger teams can not be accepted. A tandem in this sense means either two dance artists from different dance backgrounds or a dance artist and a practitioner from another field or sector.
Applicants must commit to the duration of each residency category: 4 weeks for the Research residency, 6 weeks for the Short Creation residency. The time periods can be divided into separate 2-week blocks and do not need to be consecutive.
Each tandem must pick one format only, meaning a residency or a short creation. There is no limit to how many tandems one can be a part of.
Applicants must be available during the main week of the Tanztriennale from June 14 – 21, 2026 in Hamburg.
Applicants should be interested in engaging in exchange with other dance professionals and local audiences through open studios or public presentations. The timing of these exchanges will be defined together in a way that supports the artistic process.
Applicants should be interested in reflecting their work and peer-exchange, as well as working in a self-organized manner.
Good English skills are required.

Submission Requirements

Short CV for both partners, Statement of motivation, Concept description, Links to videos of your work

How to Apply

Online Application

Program Benefits & Awards

Research

Fee in the amount of 5.000,- EUR gross per person (taxes and per diems included). The fee also covers your presence and sharing the outcome of your research at the Tanztriennale from June 14 – 21, 2026.
Studio or research space with basic in-house technical support for 4 weeks maximum.
Accommodation for 4 weeks maximum if the applicant is not a resident in the location city of the residency space.
Travel costs: applicant’s resident city to the destination of the residency space, between the residency locations within Germany, from the destination of the residency space back to the applicant’s resident city.
For your presence at Tanztriennale from June 14 – 21, 2026 we cover travel, accommodation and entrance fees.
If necessary, visa costs will be covered.
We offer an access budget of up to 1.000,- EUR gross per person to support any accessibility needs related to participating in the residency.

Short Creation

Fee in the amount of 7.500 EUR gross per person (taxes and per diem included). The fee also covers your presence and presentation (2 shows) at Tanztriennale from June 14 – 21, 2026.
Studio space with basic in-house technical support for 5 weeks + 1 week of in-house technical support on stage before the presentations.
A modest production budget is provided for the presentation of the Short Creations at the Opera Stabile. To make the presentation accessible to people with access needs, an additional budget of up to 2.000,- EUR is available (e.g. audio description, sign language interpretation).
Accommodation for 6 weeks maximum if the applicant is not a resident in the location city of the residency space.
Travel costs: applicant’s resident city to the destination of the residency space, between the residency locations within Germany, from the destination of the residency space back to the applicant’s resident city
For your presence at Tanztriennale from June 14 – 21, 2026 we cover travel, accommodation and entrance fees.
If necessary, visa costs will be covered.
We offer an access budget of up to 1.000,- EUR gross per person to support any accessibility needs related to participating in the residency.

Entry Fee

None

Location

Germany

Timeline

Application Deadline: 31 August 2025

Website Link: https://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/en/programmes_projects/theatre_and_movement/detail/tanztriennale.html

Production budget Residency Stipend Studio Travel costs